You need to go to Maryland and you're wondering which neighborhoods in Baltimore are the most dangerous and the best to stay in.
It's true that Baltimore has suffered for years from its bad reputation regarding its insecurity. Therefore, it is legitimate and prudent to find out in advance about the neighborhoods to avoid when looking for a place to stay.
So, if you have to stay there for a business trip or for a tourist stay, here is a guide which lists the most dangerous districts of Baltimore. He will also give you advice at the end of the article on the best places to choose your hotel or rental. Finally, you will also find the map of the main districts of Baltimore which will facilitate your research.
This article was written thanks to many sources: Economic media, discussion forums, press articles, statistics and web rankings. It is a simple synthesis of the various data found on the internet and therefore does not involve any judgment or discrimination.
Baltimore dangerous city in 2024?
YES, according to numerous statistics on the web such as on the FBI website, areavibes.com, city-data.com, sallerlaw.com, wikipedia, Baltimore still has a high level of crime. To check it for yourself, you can study the statistics and the crime map on the website of the baltimore police.
This is also true on the Numbeo ranking 2024 where Baltimore is ranked 1st most criminal city in the United States.
On this ranking, Baltimore displays the highest crime index, much higher than that of Sound, Albuquerque, St. Louis, Chicago, Houston ou Atlanta. See map of the Numbeo.com site:
Last world ranking, Baltimore is also at the top of the table of the most criminal cities in the world (15th position out of the 462 cities ranked). However, in comparison, Baltimore would be less criminal than Johannesburg, Tijuana, Sao Paulo ou Rio de Janeiro.
Is Baltimore safe for tourists?
Yes, but on condition that tourists exercise caution.
Indeed, violent crimes do not generally directly concern tourists because crime in Baltimore is mainly linked to social inequalities, gang wars and drug trafficking.
Most of these crimes occur in isolated areas and neighborhoods where tourists have no interest in going (see list below).
The tourist areas of central Baltimore are not dangerous for visitors. However, like most major US and European cities, tourists can experience scams and thefts.
Map of Baltimore neighborhoods
Administratively, the city consists of 10 major major areas: Downtown, Northern, Northwestern, Northeastern, Western, Central, East, South, Southwest, and Southeast.
Each of these areas has numerous neighborhoods that are listed on the complete list of Baltimore Neighborhoods on Wikipedia.
To more easily locate the most dangerous neighborhoods which we will discuss below, here is a map to enlarge: Google map
Most dangerous neighborhoods in Baltimore in 2024
Comparing statistics published in 2024 on crime rates, here are the most dangerous neighborhoods in Baltimore:
- Middle East
- West Baltimore
- Grove park
- Cherry hill
- Area Area
- Highlandtown
- Fairfield Area
- Greenmount East
- Pulaski
- Greater Rosemont
- Orangeville
- madison eastend
This list is not exhaustive. It simply indicates the most dangerous neighborhoods in Baltimore. To better locate them, you can click on the links to have their location on Google Maps.
Is Downtown Baltimore dangerous?
Downtown Baltimore is a considered safe area for visitors.
The Inner Harbor tourist district where the Maryland Science Center (planetarium and observatory) and the Baltimore Aquarium is located is safe for tourists. Indeed, the police regularly patrol this area as in the other tourist areas of Downtown: Little Italy, Fells Point, Federal Hill or Mount Vernon.
Best neighborhoods to stay in Baltimore
Fortunately, Baltimore does not only have dangerous neighborhoods! Indeed, there are also many safe and pleasant neighborhoods. Here, according to specialized sites and real estate agencies, are the best neighborhoods in Baltimore to stay:
- inner harbour
- Canton
- Federal Hill
- Glen
- Locust Point
- Fells Point
- Roland Park
- Mount washington
- Stoneleigh
- Homeland
- Evergreen
- pinehurst
Best area to visit Baltimore
To visit the city of Baltimore and enjoy its main attractions, here is the favorite area for tourists: Inner Harbor
Inner Harbor in downtown Baltimore
Here is where the Inner Harbor neighborhood is located: Location on Google Maps
Inner Harbor tourist district of Baltimore
Neighborhood inner harbour is a district of Downtown Baltimore where the main tourist attractions are concentrated: National Aquarium, Maryland Science Center, Port Discovery Children's Museum, Harborplace, Baltimore's World Trade Center with its gazebo on the 27th floor and superb 19th century ships in the historic shipyards.
From this bustling area, all of Baltimore's major attractions are within walking distance, as are bars, restaurants and shops.
Where to stay in Baltimore?
As we just said, the quartier inner harbour is the best place for tourists. They can choose their hotel or accommodation there without fearing for their safety.
If you are looking for a very good hotel with the best location as a tourist, I recommend the hotel: Hyatt Regency Baltimore
And for those who want a good hotel but not too expensive, then here is a hotel also well placed to visit Baltimore: Cheap hotel Baltimore
How to visit Baltimore?
Here are some safe day trip ideas from the Inner Harbor area: Baltimore Harbor Boat Ride ou Baltimore Whiskey Tasting Pass